Marion, North Carolina

Off of Highway 181, the trailhead is very clearly marked with a large parking lot. Although the trail is fairly short, make sure you have your footing, because the trail does switch back and forth in addition to gaining elevation -- it's pretty steep in some places! It's all worth it when you get...

Starting at the Hawksbill Mountain Trailhead, which is clearly marked start hiking up! The trail starts out with some easy uphill switchbacks and leads you to the first lookout point. Enjoy sometime at the lookout point, but you'll want to keep going for a more incredible view. Keep hiking uphill...

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains is Montreat, North Carolina. Just down the road from Asheville, it neighbors Black Mountain and doesn't disappoint for views. Montreat itself houses a plethora of hiking trails, but the cream of the crop HAS to be Lookout Mountain. After a weekend of checking o...

Follow the gravel old 105 to the parking lot at the Rock Jock Trailhead. Follow this trail a short distance until it splits to the left for Conley Cove. The Conley Cove trail descends over 1,200 ft. into the Linville Gorge, providing a glimpse into the dense and wild Pisgah National Forest. Shor...

Chestoa View Overlook is an extremely short hike located down a pull-off at milepost 320 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Park your vehicle in a designated spot then intercept the trail to the left of the lot. The trail will slowly descend down into a stone overlook. The panoramic view showcases the be...

Hidden far above the beautiful Linville Gorge stands Hawksbill Mountain, among many other fantastic hikes. The roughly 1.7 mile hike from the dusty gravel parking lot is steep but worth every step. It took me about an hour to conquer with a few water bottle-guzzling stops. At the top, you are al...

The trail to the summit of Hawksbill begins on an unpaved road for the Pigsah National Forest. In about a half a mile the trail turns left just before reaching the Jonas Ridge Trail. This turn is an clearly marked turn with a sign for "Hawksbill Summit". The trail then becomes steeper and rocki...

Linville falls is one of North Carolina's treasures and perhaps the most photographed water fall in the state. Bring the whole family out and explore the area surrounding the falls. There are about 4 total miles of trails meandering around and through the gorge and right up to the falls. There ar...

Eagle Rock is located in Chimney Rock State Park and is a hot spot for climbers and hikers! The hike to the overlook at Eagle Rock is 0.4 miles, and it's one of the most bang-for-your-buck trails in the area. We love to picnic out on the rock as it's in the sun most of the day. If you decide to...

This hike is a strenuous 2.4 miles that takes about 1.5 hours to complete. The trail is not maintained--it is an old logging road--so there are lots of loose rocks and you frequently have to hop over the washout/creek. However, the difficulty on the way up is extremely rewarding at the top!The tr...

Located off of Boys Camp Rd. in Lake Lure, North Carolina, Rumbling Bald is a huge boulder yard that has been in use since the 1970's and has begun to flourish. Conveniently at the trail head is a gravel parking lot with three Port A Johns to use. Make sure you get to the parking lot early thou...

The Black Mountain Crest Trail is legendary among hikers in the southeast. It is the highest trail east of the Mississippi, as it traverses the summit of several peaks over 6,000 feet. It is also widely acknowledged as one of the premier hikes on the east coast. To whit, the trail immediately asc...

I usually spend the day visiting restaurants and breweries around Asheville. Before it gets late, so you can enjoy the views, head to the Blue Ridge Parkway located right outside the city. After about 30 minutes on the parkway, you will park at the Craggy Pinnacle parking lot Milepost 364.1. Fro...

The trail begins at the back of the parking area and is marked by a trail sign. Once on the trail, it is a straight shot to the waterfall with no turnoffs. Overall the trail is very easy and is a slight descent all the way down. Around .3 miles into the trail you enter a forest of now-dead hemloc...

Snaggy Mountain is privately owned land that offers a beautiful camping spot located just outside of the Pigsah National Forest. It's completely secluded by an Apple Orchard and is a great home base for several hiking adventures in the area. The location on the map will get you to the parking spo...

This waterfall is located inside of the Chimney Rock State Park. There is a fee of 15 dollars to go to the State Park but it is very worth it because of the beautiful scenery and beautiful views. The hike to the waterfall is partially uphill on the way. When you get to the waterfall there are a f...